A Creator We Can Trust
The “monster” in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is one of the most widely known literary characters, captivating our cultural imagination. But close readers of the beloved novel know that a strong case...
View ArticlePrayer Matters
“Prayers for an upcoming brain scan.” “That my kids would come back to church.” “Comfort for Dave, who lost his wife.” Our card ministry team receives a weekly list of prayer requests like these so we...
View ArticleThe Triumph of Faith
A routine wellness check for little Calvin revealed a few unexpected spots on his body. During the visit, he was given some shots, and the injection spot was covered with a bandage. At home, when the...
View ArticleTears of Joy
Leaving home one morning, Dean found some friends waiting with balloons. His friend Josh stepped forward. “We entered your poems in a competition,” he said, before handing Dean an envelope. Inside was...
View ArticleLoving Obedience
During our wedding ceremony, our minister said to me, “Do you promise to love, honor, and obey your husband, until death do you part?” Glancing at my fiancé, I whispered, “Obey?” We’d built our...
View ArticleGod-Given Gifts
Decades ago, I went to a college retreat where everyone was talking about a personality test. “I’m an ISTJ!” one said. “I’m an ENFP,” another chirped. I was mystified. “I’m an ABCXYZ,” I joked. Since...
View ArticleEyes to See
Joy was concerned for her relative Sandy who for years had struggled with alcoholism and mental-health issues. So Joy went to Sandy’s apartment, but with doors locked it appeared vacant. As she and...
View ArticleBlooming Deserts
A century ago, lush forest covered roughly 40 percent of Ethiopia, but today it’s around 4 percent. Clearing acreage for crops while failing to protect the trees has led to an ecological crisis. The...
View ArticleTrying to Save Ourselves
Many years ago, New York City launched a Stay Safe Stay Put ad campaign to educate people on how to stay calm and be safe when trapped in an elevator. Experts reported that some trapped passengers had...
View ArticleStaying the Course in Christ
As Gandalf the Grey confronted Saruman the White, it became clear that the latter had turned from what he was supposed to do—help protect Middle-earth from the power of the evil Sauron. What’s more,...
View ArticleLeaving a Spiritual Legacy
As teens, my sister and I didn’t understand my mom’s decision to receive Jesus as her Savior, but we couldn’t deny the changes we saw in her. She had more peace and joy and began faithfully serving at...
View ArticleA Solitary Voice
After the Paris Peace Conference that concluded World War I, French Marshall Ferdinand Foch bitterly observed, “This is not peace. It is an armistice for twenty years.” Foch’s view contradicted the...
View ArticleJoy and Wisdom
Sweetly fragrant cherry tree blossoms flood Japan with exquisite pale and vibrant pinks every spring, delighting the senses of residents and tourists alike. The short-lived nature of the blossoms...
View ArticleLies and Truth
Adolf Hitler believed big lies were more powerful than small ones, and tragically, he tested his theory successfully. Early in his political career, he claimed he was content to support others’...
View ArticleGod’s Handiwork
On July 12, 2022, scientists awaited the first images of deepest space from the new James Webb Space Telescope. The state-of-the-art telescope can look farther into the universe than mankind has ever...
View ArticleA Change of Venue
My friend Joann passed away from a stroke just as the coronavirus began to spread in 2020. At first her family published that her memorial service would be at her church, but then it was determined it...
View ArticleCalled and Equipped by God
“Your job for the international book expo,” my boss informed me, “is to organize an onsite radio broadcast.” I felt fear because this was new territory for me. God, I’ve never done anything like this,...
View ArticleMaking God Known
A love for God and for people undergirds Kathryn’s Bible translating work. She rejoices when women in India come to a deeper understanding of Scripture, reading it in their mother tongue. She remarks...
View ArticleGod in the Past and Present
It had been years since we left the Oregon town where we raised our family. We’d made great memories there, and the visit reminded me of moments I’d forgotten: our girls’ soccer games, our old home,...
View ArticleExtending Christ’s Kindness
Kindness or revenge? Isaiah had just been hit in the head by a wild pitch during a Little League regional championship baseball game. He dropped to the ground holding his head, though thankfully his...
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